By Kanbawza Win
Mizzima News(www.mizzima.com)
September 8, 2003

The Burmese proverb of "Kywe Pa Saung Tee" literally translated means the buffalo cannot appreciate even if the harpist plays a melodious tune, proves to be true when the Burmese men in uniform endeavour to assassinate the one and only Nobel Peace Laureate murdering over hundreds of her followers. The international community spearheaded by the United Nations had endeavour to convince the Burmese Generals to show logic and reason for the benefit of the country and people but the Burmese thugs did not understand just as the buffalo could not understand the harpist.

Then Thailand brought out his road map in other words is similar to an electric guitar accompanied by a big amplifier but the buffalo could not comprehend the music even though he plays jazz, country music, Rock n Roll or whatever. The buffalo was perhaps confused with such a loud noise that he bellow meaning colonel Khin Nyunt produced its own version of road map. At this instant the ethnic nationalities brought out their trumpet and began to play, "When the Saints Goes Marching On" denoting that they produced their own road map.

Studying all these road maps starting from the United Nations' Razali Ismael to that of the ENSCC (Ethnic Nationalities Solidarity Cooperation Committee) version there is not a single sentence, which the Junta could comprehend that is the perpetuation of power by the Burmese army. In other words no music of any category will move the buffalo except the cane and it is high time that the international community use force to move the Junta, as he could easily understand it.

However, if the buffalo have a human heart he would realise that this ENSCC road map coincided with the UN resolution of 1994, recognized the role of the military while at the same time did not repudiate the result of the 1990 election. Moreover it gives equal status to the ethnic nationalities with a reasonable time frame. The salient points are a peaceful conflict resolution through dialogue, self- determination with the protection of human rights including political, civil and ethnic rights. In the context of the globalize world it seek the help of the international community for humanitarian aid as well as to play a mediating role. It seems that the majority of the people of Burma, except the Generals and the Burmese chauvinist would gladly accept this latest version of the road map.

However, it has its negative aspects, it does not call for the immediate release of all political prisoners, gloss over the crimes against humanity such as the 1988 massacre and the latest butchering at Depayin. It did not reveal 'the divide and rule' tactics of the Burmese military in claiming that there are 135 national races in Burma when in fact 65 of them are in Chin hills alone having different dialect due to the difficulty of communication. Moreover it recognized the de facto government as de jure government such as addressing Col. Khin Nyunt as Prime Minister. The worst aspect is that it did not repudiate the Junta's road map and instead try to supplement the existing one justifying that it is more practical encompassing most of the national aspects. It was rather hilarious to read, that the ENSCC is preventing the rogue regime to go down in the annals of history as a villain, when the Burmese army has committed unpardonable crimes since 1962. In short it was rather a compromise paper that will satisfy very few people.

But the sad fact is that it does not mention anything about the Burmese in Diaspora numbering some three to five million, most of them are professionals whose brains are so much needed in the reconstruction of the country. It also sidelined the Burmese activists so influential in swaying the opinion of the international community. Marginalizing these components reveals "I am the monarch of all I survey" attitude so beautifully coined by Alexander Selkirk or may be a carbon copy of the Burmese military philosophy of "we alone can do it".

The picture which I personally construe vis a vis the Junta is that we are all on the same side, say supposing near the lion's den, where there is only one lion, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The rest of us are hyenas following the lion. As hyenas we always attack in groups because the enemy is strong. The different nationalities fighting with what ever means at their disposal, the intelligentsia, the Burmese activists both local and foreigners, the human rights organizations, sympathizers and the like minded NGOs should be considered as hyenas that attack the target simultaneously in view of the fact that the enemy has lost a lot of blood, due to sanctions. Now that the lion is in the cage one strong hyena instead of leading he pack against the enemy seems to claim the lion's place. In other words if the ENSCC or rather their think tank people could have taken the trouble of organizing and incorporating the Diaspora especially the activists such as the Free Burma Coalition, etc. If
that is the logic, we are quite positive, that we could have easily delivered a coup de grace to the Burmese military. At the same time we could prove to the world that the joke of "putting two Burmese in a cell will form three political parties" is wrong.

But as of now acting individually, we have serious doubts whether the others would join the bandwagon. I recollect our democracy struggle of 1988 when U Nu, U Aung Gyi and Daw Suu were unable or take a long time to find a common platform, that it was hijacked by SLORC ushering another era of military rule up to this date. We don't want this kind of historical repetition. More importantly there is just a slight hope that the buffalo will understand the latest pop music. Until and unless it got some idea and mistaken the music notes with that of the bean sprout thinking that it is something to eat it won't bite the bate and dance to the tune of ENSCC music.